Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to applicators for applying nail polish, and more particularly to a combination dispenser and applicator that utilizes disposable brushes that enable a user to quickly, easily, and inexpensively change brushes between uses.
Description of Related Art
The prior art also teaches various dispensing systems for dispensing nail polish and similar products. The prior art has failed to teach, however, a dispensing and applying system that includes a truly inexpensive and replaceable applicator brush that enables the frequent replacement of the applicator brushes between different persons, and/or between painting different parts of the person (e.g., toenail and fingernails).
Parrish, U.S. Pat. No. 3,228,057, teaches a combination applicator and dispenser brush that is generally similar to the present invention, which includes a pressurized vessel for containing liquid that is transmitted to a brush-mounting body via a through-delivery passageway. The vessel does not use bag-on-valve technology, and instead contains a propellant, which is potentially flammable, along with the liquid. The passage way is controlled by a valve and serves as the means of actuating the device. The bristles are integral with the valve actuator, so they are not readily disposable, without replacing the more expensive valve assembly as well, which is commercially impractical because of the increased expense. The brush is meant to be re-usable, and not disposable.
The present invention not only uses bag-on-valve technology, it also uses disposable applicator brushes that do not include any valves. The extremely simplified construction of the applicator brushes used in the present invention makes them very inexpensive, and therefore readily disposable.
Lewis, U.S. 2008/0075525, teaches a nail polish applicator that includes an elongate tubular housing including a reservoir for holding the nail polish, and an applicator that includes bristles for spreading the nail polish. While the bristles are shown integrally formed with the applicator, and they are not removable. The Lewis device also does not teach a bag-on-valve construction, and requires a manual dispensing slide to force the nail polish from the applicator.
Washington, U.S. Pat. No. 6,530,709, teaches an elongate nail polish applicator that is pen-shaped for easy use. The applicator includes a nail polish reservoir, a brush having bristles for spreading the nail polish, and a discharge mechanism for forcing the nail polish out of the applicator onto the bristles. The brush is retractable, but is not designed to be quickly and easily removed and replaced.
Katz, U.S. Pat. No. 4,964,540, describes a pressurized fluid dispenser of the kind used for dispensing a fluid by applying pressure on a container. The dispenser includes a tubular pleated bag that contains the fluid, and an elastomeric container that maintains pressure on the tubular pleated bag. A valve closes the tubular pleated bag to maintain the fluid in the tubular pleated bag until it is to be dispensed.
Hoff, U.S. Pat. No. 3,411,853, describes a disposable nail polish applicator that includes two telescopically connected elongated tubular members as its major components. One of these members is adapted to enclose a capsule wherein a determined volume of nail polish is hermetically sealed, and has an applicator brush assembly permanently secured thereto. The other member incorporates a means for piercing the capsule to emit the nail polish for flow onto the bristles of the brush assembly when desired. Both tubular members and the capsule are transparent, so that the actual color and shade of the nail polish is visible.
The above-described references are hereby incorporated by reference in full. None of the prior art references teaches a device that meets the requirements described herein to achieve the goals described below. The present invention fulfills the above-described needs, and provides further advantages as described in the following summary.